Vengeance and Atonement
by Kazi-Kun
Summary: The Chunin Exams calls hopeful genin from near and far. He sees this as a step closer until he can take revenge on the one who murdered his Clan. She sees this as a step closer until she can truly atone for the murders her Clan has committed.Full inside
1. Chapter 1

Naruto/Sailor Moon

"Vengeance and Atonement"

Summary:

The Chunin Exams calls hopeful genin from near and far. He sees this as a step closer until he can take revenge on the one who murdered his Clan. She sees this as a step closer until she can truly atone for the murders her Clan has committed. He desires vengeance. She desires Atonement. What would happen should these two genin ever meet on the paths that lead to their destinies?

Quick Notes:

-Senshi are scattered around the World of Naruto

-They barely remember each other

-Friends/Family of the Senshi are here as well

-Senshi Powers have turned into jutsu and Kekkei Genkai

-Wardrobes/attitudes have changed

-have to keep low profiles

-Sound Village Demon is a snake named Hebi No Oto (Snake of Sound)

-This Hebi is sealed inside the child of the Otokage

-The damn snake's still cold blooded.

-Shin and Jin are still around

-Titan even makes an appearance

Wardrobe:

-Usagi: Usually in dresses, hair in single braid

-Mamoru: What every Chunin wears

-Haruka: what every Chunin wears

-Michiru: What every Chunin wears but tight mini skirt instead of pants, ponytail

-Setsuna: usually in lady's suits, bun

-Minako: What every Chunin wears but tight mini skirt instead of pants, braided into a bun

-Rei: usually in priestess robes, ponytail at the base of skull then braided

-Makoto: usually in high water overalls and t-shirts, ponytail/braided

-Ami: whatever medic shinobi and doctors wear

-Seiya: what every Chunin wears

-Yaten: what every chunin wears

-Taiki: what every chunin wears

-Usa: Shorts and t-shirts, braided pigtails

-Hotaru: black t-shirts, cameo jumpers/overalls, ponytail/pigtails in lots of little braids


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto/Sailor Moon

"Vengeance and Atonement"

"Hard work, determination, accuracy, manipulation, calculation, reconnisaunce, labor, and field work are only pieces of the shinobi we are molding you genin to become. Other pieces are observation, adaptations, deliberation, agility, ability, cunning and more. What that 'more' is will be left up to you to discover, for your lives are ahead of you all."

"Roku-sensei, who are our allies if we are a new shinobi nation?" A boy asked as he and 2 others followed their teacher. Roku was leading the trio of children into the trees around their village.

"All of the nations are our allies, Fuu. That's way the team containing Dosu Kinuta, Kin Tsuchi, and Zaku Abumi are attending the Chunin Exams." Roku told his students. Fuu looked at his teammates, a second boy and a girl. The girl was barely behind their 2nd teammate. She had to be at an easy pace because she had a heart condition. The 2nd boy was keeping close to her, being the stronger of the two, so he could carry her on his back if she just happened to collapse.

She stopped suddenly, getting the three males attention. "Someone's coming. 3…no, _4_ people coming at us. One adult, 3 teenagers-between 12 and 15…close to 14 each. High speed. Coming through the trees, south…no, south west. We are their targets. We've got less than 3 minutes before they arrive."

"Very good, Hotaru. How do you propose to deal wit them?" Roku looked at his female student.

"Shuhei will handle Kin. Fuu gets Zaku. Leave Dosu to me." Hotaru get a nod from the 2nd boy. "Their adult stopped. They're attacking in a Z-D-K pattern. They'll need to be separated to defeat them and to keep them down."

Roku bowed his head, his eyes closed and his lips curved in a smirk. "Sound Village Cell 5-battle positions."

The 3 students looked at each other in the eye then disappeared with a single nod, leaving 3 smoke clouds behind.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ow! Papa-that hurts!"

"Don't fight me, Hotaru. You'll just add to the damage." Hotaru looked away as her father dabbed cleanser on to the cut on her knee. The cleanser fizzled, killing infection. She whimpered, her father wrapping her injury. "You're far too young to face Dosu on your own. He could've killed you."

"But I stopped his sonic attack, Papa." Soichi looked at his daughter with his golden eyes. "Isn't that worth something? I found his weakness. It travels in a straight arc. If you dodge it-merely duck as Dosu swings his arm, then it passes right over you and you're able to attack because his reactions are slower than chakra guided jutsu."

Soichi picked his daughter up from the ground where she had landed when Dosu had flung her out of her little clearing. He sat her up on his shoulder and looked at his student who was half cowering behind a tree. He motioned for Dosu to come forward with a finger. His student nervously obeyed and stopped in front of his teacher. With a swift motion, the bandaged boy was on the ground 5 yards away. His teacher had barely moved and yet he had been sent flying.

Setting Hotaru on her sandaled feet, Soichi gave her a gentle push back towards the village. "Go home, Sweet Pea. I'll meet you there once Dosu and I have a little talk."

Hotaru looked at Dosu and then at her father. She nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Soichi turned his attention to his student wand calmly walked up to him. He grabbed the front of Dosu's clothes and lifted the boy off his feet and the ground.

"I told all 3 of you that you weren't supposed to hurt her. She is my daughter and I will kill the next disobedient of you 3." Soichi warned him in a vemonous hiss. "My daughter is more valuable to me and this village than your pitiful life. Do I make myself clear, Dosu?"

"Yes, Sensei." Dosu would've agreed to go on a suiside mission as long as it meant that his sensei wasn't going to be the one to kill him. The bandaged boy crashed onto the ground.

"I'm glad you see things my way." Soichi's eyes were hard and cold. "Now, get out of my sight."


	4. Chapter 4

**SesshyLover180:** Overprotective? You've got NO idea...

My computer's being an ass so those who reviewed were also Tae-Chan, and SS. Love y'all!

* * *

Soichi tucked his sleeping daughter into bed and kissed her forehead lovingly. Hotaru had fallen asleep against her father as he sharpened his kunai after dinner. He didn't have the heart to wake her up and have her half stagger to bed. She was really tuckered out after putting up such a fight with Dosu and training as hard as she could. She wanted to make him proud, working passed her limits-even causing her condition to flare up about once a month in order to carry out her desire.

Hotaru rolled onto her side in her sleep and turned her back on the dim light of her tank under her window on a low table. Her two little snakes, Shin and Jin, were asleep, coiled and hidden from sight. They most likely fell asleep right after Hotaru. Their tank light was like a night light for Hotaru, one that she didn't need anymore. She had forgotten to turn it off after dinner but that was easily fixed as Soichi did it for her. Moonlight spilled into Hotaru's room, falling into the open tank and onto the sleeping girl.

Leaving his daughter's room, Soichi closed her door softly and stretched his body. He was tired as well but he couldn't go to sleep. Not quite yet. He still had things to do before he went to bed. The dishes were done and the left overs put away. His shinobi weapons were cleaned, polished and sharpened-just like Hotaru's that had been done before dinner under his watchful eye. Nothing was out of place, not even their sandals by the front door. Everything was in its proper place so why couldn't he go to sleep just yet? Oh, yeah…

He had to meet with the Otokage.

* * *

Short Chp but it's worth it. 


	5. Chapter 5

Sitting still was pretty hard for most 12-year-olds but not for Hotaru. She sat very still as Kin finished braiding her ponytail. The millions of little braids all had a little metal bead on the ends, just before the ties, and were Hotaru's favorite accessory-aside from her headband. Kin tied a cameo hair ribbon around the base of the ponytail and then fixed Hotaru's cameo jumper and black t-shirt.

"There, I'm all done and you're ready for class." Kin told her sensei's daughter. "Don't forget your lunch but you had better hurry up before you're late. You don't want to do the punishment drills on such a pretty day."

"Thank you, Big Sister Kin." Hotaru gave her a smile before she ran into the house and gave her father a good bye kiss. "See you at sunset, Papa! I'm off to be the best Ninja I can be!"

"Be good and mind your surroundings, Sweet Pea." Soichi cautioned his child as she pulled on her sandals then ran out the door. "And be home before dark falls! It's not safe with the demons out there!"

Hotaru let her chakra build up and assist her into jumping into the trees and on to the rooftops. She leapt from rooftop to rooftop and then had to skid to a stop to avoid hitting one of the Otokage's agents.

"Uh, good morning, Oto Yakunin." Hotaru greeted nervously. "Did I disturb your rounds? If so, I'm really sorry. I'm headed to meet Roku-sensei and my teammates in th e woods so I'll just continue on my way. Bye!"

Oh, how she feared the Oto Yakunin! They were the Otokage's agents and they did jobs similar to the Anbu unit of the Hidden Leaf Village but they didn't just stop there. You cross their path and you could die. She tried to run away but the Yakunin grabbed her by her upper arm.

"The Otokage would like to see you, Hotaru Tomoe of the Village Hidden in the Sound." The Yakunin said icily and without feeling.

Hotaru swallowed hard. Well, if she didn't reach her team, at least she would have a good excuse when Roku let her have it.

* * *

She's goin' somewhere but I won't say where! 


	6. Chapter 6

Here's part 2...

* * *

Hotaru was shaking from head to foot as she knelt in front of the Otokage's reed curtain. What did the leader of their Village want with her? She was only a genin!

"You are Soichi Tomoe's daughter, are you not?" The Otokage asked, already knowing the answer. The trembling genin nodded nervously. "We are Sound shinobi, Little Tomoe. Speak to me."

"Y-Yes, Lord Otokage, sir." Hotaru mumbled scared. Not many genin survived a private meeting with the leader and his agents and lived to tell the tale. "W-w-what can a l-l-lowly genin like myself do to assist the Sound Village?"

"I have heard of your Cell's success because of your ability to assess and detect the up-coming threats and I want to see if it is only on the battlefield, this gift you have." The Otokage replied as a shogi board was set in between the leader and the trembling girl. "Move closer and let us play. If you can beat me, I will teach you the same jutsu I taught your father. But, If I beat you-you become one of my agents from this point on."

Hotaru knew that the Otokage had been her father's teacher and that the jutsu he taught her father was the Ryoshigan-the Hunter's Eye. It resembled a golden snake eye and if used constantly and evolved to a high level, it remained permanent like her father and the Otokage's cases. It was once a Kekkei Genkai-or maybe it still was-Hotaru didn't really know_ or_ understand exactly-but to learn such a jutsu would be a true leap, an honest leap towards becoming a powerful shinobi like her father. And to learn this jutsu, she had to beat the Otokage at a game of shogi.

Getting to her feet, Hotaru timidly came to the other side of the board as the curtain was lifted up enough for the Otokage to move his pieces. It was time to play for keeps.


	7. Chapter 7

The Ryoshigan is the golden snake eyes. It allows the user to see chakra points, the network, and chakra auras/ties. It's deadly but it's also difficult to master.

* * *

It was late when Hotaru got home and Soichi had been really worried about her. A Yakunin had told him that the Otokage had her brought to him for an evaluation but that had been in the morning and the evaluation had ended before lunch. She hadn't returned to her team or home between then and 10:54 pm-the time Hotaru came home. She was battered and exhausted as she came inside and drowsily went through her routine.

She sharpened and polished her weapons and then just went to bed without dinner or a bath. Hotaru just flopped on top of her futon, instantly asleep as soon as her head hit the mattress. She didn't even land on her pillow. Shin and Jin looked at each other then at Hotaru who was sound asleep. What wore out their mistress so badly?

Soichi was wondering the same thing and he left the house to meet with the Otokage to find out. The Otokage was more than happy to see him-it was almost disturbing.

"I know why you're here, Jounin Tomoe." The Otokage replied with a mocking smile behind his face veil. "Your child is quite talented. She beat me at 17 different matches of shogi and 13 of go. I wonder how you taught her to play so well."

"I…I did no such thing. Hotaru was born a strategist. She is the only reason my team has yet to catch hers off guard." Soichi admitted, looking at the floor boards. "How she knows they're coming and who they are has been baffling me for years. She is just _too _talented."

"Not quite." The Sound Village's champion shinobi responded. "She has potential and has shaped it to amazing lengths. I have taught her the Ryoshigan, as I have taught you. I believe she was mastering it."

_M-Mastering the Ryoshigan?!_ MY_ little Sweet Pea-with such a dangerous gift?! What was he thinking?! Hotaru could be killed because of this!_


	8. Chapter 8

I'm telling you-the Otokage's got PLANS for this little kunoichi.

* * *

"This is the second time in as many days you have pulled one of my students away from her training. I must remind you that she must complete her training before-"

"I signed all three of your students to partake in the Chunin Exams because of the student I have pulled away for the second time in two days." The Otokage had a creepy laugh in his voice at Roku's reaction to Hotaru being pulled away yet again. "We will see if your boys can match her level of power and intelligence during the exams. You will leave in three hours. I suggest you prepare for your trip."

Roku bowed his head in respect. "As you wish, Otokage."

0-0-0-0

"Yeah! The Chunin Exams! We're going to become Chunin!" Fuu cheered as Hotaru and Shuhei ran after him, heading towards the bus that would take them to Konoha.

Hotaru stopped, falling to her knees, and coughed into her hand. Soichi hit Zaku over the head rather harshly. Zaku rubbed the back of his head, wincing as he touched the bruise and walked over to Hotaru's side. When her coughing fit passed, he knelt beside her and wiped the blood off her lip and hand with his handkerchief.

"Come on, Little Sister. You're going to be a Chunin." Zaku picked up Hotaru and put her on his back. "And then all you have to do is take the Jounin Exams to achieve your dream."

"Thank you, Zaku." Hotaru kissed his bump and the older Genin felt a gentle heat envelope his injury. When the heat faded, the pain was gone. "I'm a little tired now…I think I'll take a…small nap…"

Hotaru fell asleep on Zaku's back, surprising the boy even more. Soichi came up behind Zaku and took his sleeping daughter from his pupil. He smacked the boy upside the head while holding his daughter against him. She'd sleep until they reached Konoha, where she'd be able to put the other chunin candidates to shame-even her teammates.

* * *

Aw--what a tired little genin-chan!


	9. Chapter 9

Hey, it's me. Yeah, I know-mega late but School got hectic and finals...so, uh, yeah-on with the show but first:

**Saturn's Spawn:** Hate Soichi? Why do you hate Soichi? Is it because he's hitting his team around?

**SessyLover180:** The Senshi's powers become their technique element. Like What Hotaru learns to do in the 2nd exam.

* * *

Stretching her tired body, Hotaru woke as she sat up in on a futon in a place far different than her village. It had to be the Leaf Village and she had to explore her new surroundings. Hotaru got out of bed, dressed in her nightshirt with her hair down. Her father had to have tucked her into bed. The trip was fast.

Hotaru dressed and armed herself. As she braided her hair into billions of little braids and tipped them with beads, Hotaru hummed the lullaby her mother used yo sing to her when she was a baby. She pulled on her sandals and opened the door, almost running into her father. Soichi looked down at his daughter with surprise before smiling warmly.

"Good morning, Papa!" Hotaru smiled brightly. Soichi put his hand on her head.

"Good _afternoon_, Sweet Pea. How are you feeling?" He asked, fingering the beaded braids to make sure they where secure.

"I'm hungry but other than that, I'm fine. In fact, I'm great!" She replied. "I can't wait for the Chunin Exams to begin! I want to become a great shinobi, just like you!"

Soichi was caught off guard for a moment. His life…he didn't want his life for his precious little girl. She'd be tainted, destroyed if she were to follow in his footsteps. Soichi picked her up and sat her on his hip, hugging his little girl. He gave her a kiss on her forehead and gave her another squeeze.

"Let's get you something to eat before we check out the local area."

0-0-0-0-0

It was nice to just be a father and daughter out to lunch. It was just the two of them…until a Sand shinobi loomed over them. Hotaru nearly choked on her barbecue as his one visible eye was trained on her. She hated it when people stared at her like she was an insult to Kunoichi Kind.

"Is there a problem or are you just captivated by the beauty of my 12-year-old daughter?" Soichi inquired icily. "Answer me, fool, before I take matters into my own hands."

The Sand Shinobi looked at her father. "She will die before the 2nd phase is over."

"As her father, excuse me for being bias, but I highly doubt that she'll die since even Otokage has a hand in her training." Soichi said icily. Hotaru swallowed hard and prayed that this stranger would move on-and soon! Her fear pooled chakra to her eyes. The Sand Shinobi glanced at her and went rigid, locking eyes with her. Her father leaned forward and covered her eyes with his hand. "I suggest you keep what you've seen to yourself and get out before I have to cause a war to shut you up."

Hotaru closed her eyes and crawled under the table to cuddle into her father's side. Soichi put his arm around her shoulders and pressed her closer to his body. The Sand Shinobi was still there when Hotaru opened her eyes and peeked around her father's torso.

"…Papa…" Hotaru murmured in fear. The Sand Shinobi looked like he had just been given a death sentence. He was nervous, fearful.

"Get. Lost." Soichi hissed venomously. "If you even look at my daughter the wrong way, I'll be more than happy to risk a war in order to kill you." The Sand Shinobi backed up then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Soichi turned his attention to his daughter. "It's all right, Sweet Pea. He's gone now. You're safe. I swear."

* * *

Soichi is one over protective daddy...and why does the Otokage seem so interested in her? 


	10. Chapter 10

Correction: her element's starting to show up!

* * *

"I don't like this. I really, really don't like this, Papa." Hotaru told Soichi as he brushed her hair into high pigtails at the back of her head. "Something just doesn't feel right."

"It'll be alright, Sweet Pea. It's just the first part of the Chunin Exam." He assured her as he let Kin take over to braid the pigtails into millions of braids tipped with beads. Soichi sat off to the side, returning to his morning tea. "After all, it's just a test and you've always been good with tests. The questions might be a little outrageous but it's only an exam. You've taken those similar. All 3 of you are brilliant genin. I know whatever effort you 3 put forth, you'll all make the Otokage and the Sound Village proud."

"That's not it. I…I sense something's wrong and that nothing'll go right." Hotaru answered, turning to look at her father. "There are others like me here…I can feel their chakra like…like they were the rain and I was a lone leaf. I don't like it. I don't like it at all."

0-0-0-0

"So, our little Hotaru can feel those who have chakra as great as her own." The Otokage said, looking at the genin through the windows on the 2nd floor. He was hidden in the tree with Soichi leaning against the trunk. "She is becoming quite the interesting subject."

"It's been getting worse. I saw the seal on her stomach last night. That damned Demon is trying to break free." Soichi told the Sound Shadow. "I can't do anything without her suspecting something. And then it'll kill me because I've made the first move."

"Don't worry. Your students will watch over her in the second part of the exam."

"That reminds me. The teacher of those Sand shinobi said she was going to die in the 2nd half." That got the Otokage to look down at him. "I have a feeling he's planning to sneak in and kill her himself. He knows how valuable she is to our Village. Unlike Uzumaki, we know the trials she's under going and we have excepted her for the destiny we have put on her shoulders." The younger Sound team walked passed the other genin and moved on to the 3rd floor. "She knew it was a genjutsu. How clever. Those eyes are truly wondrous."

"And teaching it to her was time well spent." The Otokage smiled. "I will take my leave for now. Report the results to me when the exam is over."

"As you command, Otokage."

* * *

Now, I'm officially creeped out.


	11. Chapter 11

GAH! First Exam! I hate Exams!

**_

* * *

_**

**_TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK!_**

The clock and pencils were driving Hotaru crazy. She looked down at her test and sighed softly to herself._ Papa said that I'd have no problem with this and yet I can't get passed all of these questions. Huh? That pencil…_ Hotaru's eyes darted to the shinobi 3 rows ahead of her and diagonal to her left. She could see his back perfectly but she was hearing his pencil strokes. _He's not nervous. No…he's a plant. So, he knows the answers and since if I follow how his chakra and his soft pencil strokes are moving, then I can't possibly be caught cheating and I won't get points deducted._

Ibiki's eyes fell on the Sound Village girl looking at the back of the genin in the second row. Her purple eyes were figuring something out but what that something was unclear. All he knew was that she had figured something out.

_There were only supposed to be 3 Sound genin but she's one of the late Sound entries. From what her file said was that she didn't scare easy and that she was one smart kunoichi._ Ibiki thought as he watched her to start writing on her test. _In fact, I believe she figured out what this test truly means. She's like that Uchiha boy one row over. They're going to be the genin to watch._ Sasuke glanced back, glanced at Hotaru. She looked up and they locked eyes. Ibiki mentally smirked when Hotaru gave Sasuke a small smile and Sasuke turned back to his paper blushing. _It would be interesting to see how these to work around each other in the rest of the exam. Especially should they come into combat against each other. But the girl seems to have a heart condition of some kind according to her file. I bet that's why her teacher said to keep a close eye on her._

0-0-0-0

Hotaru couldn't believe it. The rules to the 10th question were completely ridiculous. Her temper got the better of her and she stood, getting the proctor's attention.

"Which one of the Sanin died and left you in charge?!" Hotaru snapped, taking the Proctor and the rest of the room by surprise. Her teammates looked at her like something bad was coming. "There's no way the 3rd Hokage-Sarutobi the Professor-would have the top interrogator as his 1st Proctor if the 10th question was any harder than the other 9! I don't care if you _are_ the psychological torture genius! I'm not stupid and I won't let you into my head! All we have to do is prove that we have more guts than you and we pass! The other 9 questions don't matter! Whether we did the other 9 or not, the 10th will let us pass!"

"Hotaru, calm down!" Shuhei warned her from his seat.

"Remember your condition, Hotaru!" Fuu hissed.

"I'm fine! I'm not as weak as everyone says!" Hotaru snapped at them. "I'm a Sound Kunoichi! Only Kin and I were strong enough to come to the Chunin exams! So I don't wa-"

Her hand flew to her mouth and she collapsed into her seat coughing harshly. The Invigilators and the proctor looked at her worriedly. Her two teammates and the other 3 Sound genin rose from their seats.

"I'll take her to her father. Soichi-sensei won't be pleased but it can't be helped." Dosu said with a heavy sigh. _I'm going to need more bandages if she keeps being reckless like this. The more she pushes her body, the more we get punished. The 2__nd__ half of the exam, I'm going to end this little bitch's life for once and for all._

"I'll take her. I know the way to the hospital and I can get her the specialist she needs." Sasuke spoke up as he going to Hotaru's seat. Hotaru looked up at him with one eye when he stopped next to her. He turned his back to her. "Get on my back. I'll be able to move faster and freer this way."

Hotaru weakly got on his back and Sasuke braced her by putting his arms beneath her. "Hang on tight. I can move pretty fast given the right motivation."

She weakly gripped his shoulders and Sasuke ran out of the room, pushing chakra into his feet to move faster. He wasn't going to have her die on his back. Hotaru coughed again, blood staining his shirt. Sasuke moved even faster, trying to keep an eye on his passenger as well.

_If I let her die, then the Leaf Village will be blamed and her death could start a war. I can't let that happen._ Sasuke thought, his jaw clenching as he flooded more chakra to his feet and legs.

When he reached the hospital, the staff were extremely alarmed. "She needs a doctor! A breathing specialist! Hurry up! We just came from the exams! She's gonna die if you keep standing there-dammit!"

"O-of course! Get the x-ray room ready!" A nurse nodded nervously. Two orderlies ran to Sasuke and Hotaru with a gurney and took the girl gingerly from his back. They laid her down on the gurney then raced off down the hall. Sasuke could feel the blood on his shirt gradually grow colder. He prayed that it wasn't a bad omen.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Soichi rubbed his daughter's back as he carried her home late that night. She was asleep, her head on his shoulder, and at least she was breathing a bit easier now. These exams were stressing her heart. Soichi knew he was a fool to let the Otokage talk him into allowing Hotaru take the exams. It didn't matter whether or not she became a chunin at the end of this but what did matter was her life. These damned tests were going to kill her at this rate.

Now, Soichi wasn't a fool. To go against the Otokage was to go up against Death itself and although he loved his daughter enough to die for her, Soichi loved her enough to know that staying alive served her better. At least she was going to have his students to watch over her in the 2nd half of the Chunin Exams.

"How is our little flower doing?" The voice of the Otokage made Soichi look up at a tree he was passing. How the Otokage's sudden appearances were getting annoying.

"She's under too much stress. She let her temper get the better of her." Soichi kissed his daughter's cheek. "This attack was too close. If it weren't for that Uchiha boy, I would've lost her. This is getting her in too deep. I have to request that you let her and her teammates pull out."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." The Otokage responded. "But I can do one thing for her. By the way, have you noticed Dosu's growing hostility towards little Hotaru?"

Soichi nodded. "Unfortunately. I know Kin and Zaku will protect her but Dosu…I'm afraid that Dosu will try to kill her just to keep from getting anymore punishments for pushing her to the verge of death." He stroked Hotaru's hair. "It's like you said, she's more important to the Village _than_ the Village. I would gladly start a war if it meant I could kill anyone who would do her harm."

"And that's why I gave you Zaku, Dosu and Kin. Your fierce devotion to your daughter makes you the only jounin strong enough to fight his way out of hell if it meant that you could see her smile for just one moment." The Otokage had a point. Soichi would do anything without limit to make sure his child was safe and happy. Needless to say, it meant a lot of sleepless nights working for the Otokage. "Give her this when she wakes up." Soichi caught the small medicine pouch. "The medicine will help her body heal and her chakra recover. Make sure she takes it when she wakes and before the 2nd part of the Exam. One dose will do nothing. She must have two before she completes the 2nd phase. 2 pills equal one dose."

"I understand, Lord Otokage." Soichi tucked the pouch into his pocket and continued on his path home. It was beginning to bother Soichi about the resources and time the leader of his Village was spending on Hotaru. He was grateful but it struck him as unusual. Why would the Otokage be so invested in the development of one kunoichi when the whole Sound Village needed his attention?

It was obvious that the Otokage had plans for Hotaru but what were they? Were they going to get her killed? Were they going to cost her everything? Why did it have to be his daughter that had to be the center of the Otokage's attention? Something just didn't feel right…

* * *

I do believe he's starting to put two and two together.

Konohamaru: Doesn't 2 plus 2 equal 4? How hard is that?

(Hits Konohamaru on the top of his head w/ her fist, temple throbbing) It's a figure of speech and who the hell said you could come into my commentary?!


End file.
